Laura's Home and Gardening Blog

If you want to prevent damage to your gutters, you need to prevent leaves and other debris building up and creating blockages. Most people still think that fixed plastic or metal mesh is the way to go, but that might just be because they haven't heard of gutter brushes.

Made of a wire core laden with plastic bristles, a gutter brush slips right into your gutters and starts working. Here are just four reasons why you should pick a gutter brush over the traditional fixed mesh.

1. Easier to Fit

Mesh is a bit of a nightmare to install. You need to cut it down to the right length, then you need to manually fix it down. If you leave any gaps, leaves can worm their way in and get trapped. It's much easier to simply fit a gutter brush. They are very easy to cut to length since only the thin inner wire needs to be snipped, and you can even bend them to fit around corners. When you install a gutter brush, there's no need for tools—it just slips in and stays put.

2. Easier Cleaning

Even the best of gutter guards will occasionally need to be removed so you can clean the gutter below. When you use brush guards, this is easy—after all, they aren't fixed down. Mesh will be fixed down, so it's a chore to do any routine cleaning.

3. Less Likely to Clog

Mesh is tricky. If it's too fine, the screen will clog quickly as leaves and debris develop across the surface; if the holes are too large, debris can slip through and start to create a blockage. It's also relatively easier for ice blockages to develop. This isn't an issue when you use a gutter brush—leaves and debris fall right off, so it's extremely unlikely you'll see your gutters clogged during even the worst of weather.

4. Deters Wildlife

One of the main problems with mesh is that it doesn't really form any barrier against birds, rodents, and other wildlife. They can simply walk across it or perch on top of it, and that means droppings on your house, and potentially even nest-building and structural damage. A gutter brush won't harm animals, but it's very hard for even the smallest of creatures to perch or walk on it since it doesn't present a flat surface—if anything lands or walks on it, the bristles will immediately bend down and force them to reconsider.

Contact a professional to learn more about your gutter guard options.